Violations Associated with Footprints when Validating a Component in Altium Designer

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a footprint model linked to a component being defined in the Component Editor has multiple Pad objects with the same value of the Designator property.

Notification

A notification is displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Duplicate Pad Designator On Pads Pad <Identifier1> on <Layer1> And Pad <Identifier2> on <Layer2>

where:

• Identifier1 is the identifier for the first instance of the pad with a duplicated designator, represented by the net-designator pairing and pad coordinates.
• Layer1 is the layer on which the first instance of the pad with a duplicated designator is placed.
• Identifier2 is the identifier for the second instance of the pad with a duplicated designator, represented by the net-designator pairing and pad coordinates.
• Layer2 is the layer on which the second instance of the pad with a duplicated designator is placed.

Recommendation for Resolution

Assign different and unique designators to the pads of the linked footprint model.

• In the Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode, click the  control at the top-right of footprint's preview.
• In the Component Editor in its Batch Component Editing mode, right-click on the footprint entry in the Model Links region and choose the Edit command from the context menu.

The footprint model that is currently being used (referenced) by the component will open in the temporary PCB Footprint editor. Select offending pads and change values of their Designator property in the Pad mode of the Properties panel.

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a footprint model linked to a component being defined in the Component Editor has identical objects placed in the same location on the same layer.

Notification

A notification is displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Duplicate Primitives: <ObjectType1> <Identifier1> on <Layer1> And <ObjectType2> <Identifier2> on <Layer2>

where:

• ObjectType1 is the type of the first instance of the duplicate object.
• Identifier1 is the identifier for the first instance of the duplicate object; the identifier representation depends on the object type.
• Layer1 is the layer on which the first instance of the duplicate object is placed.
• ObjectType2 is the type of the second instance of the duplicate object.
• Identifier2 is the identifier for the second instance of the duplicate object; the identifier representation depends on the object type.
• Layer2 is the layer on which the second instance of the duplicate object is placed.

Recommendation for Resolution

Remove duplicate objects from the footprint model.

• In the Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode, click the  control at the top-right of footprint's preview.
• In the Component Editor in its Batch Component Editing mode, right-click on the footprint entry in the Model Links region and choose the Edit command from the context menu.

The footprint model that is currently being used (referenced) by the component will open in the temporary PCB Footprint editor. Select duplicate objects and remove them using the Delete shortcut.

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a footprint model linked to a component being defined in the Component Editor has significant primitives (pads, tracks, arcs, fills, regions, rectangles, text strings, keepout objects) placed on the Bottom Layer but has no such primitives placed on the Top Layer.

In the PCB Footprint editor, the footprint is built for the top side of the board; it can be flipped to the bottom during the PCB design process if required.

Notification

A notification is displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Bottom Layer Component

Recommendation for Resolution

Flip footprint primitives from the Bottom Layer to the Top Layer.

• In the Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode, click the  control at the top-right of footprint's preview.
• In the Component Editor in its Batch Component Editing mode, right-click on the footprint entry in the Model Links region and choose the Edit command from the context menu.

The footprint model that is currently being used (referenced) by the component will open in the temporary PCB Footprint editor. Select primitives on the Bottom Layer, and change their Layer property in the corresponding mode of the Properties panel to the Top Layer.

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a footprint model linked to a component being defined in the Component Editor has a Pad object with no value of the Designator property specified.

Notification

A notification is displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Missing Pad Designator on Pad: Pad <Identifier> on <Layer>

where:

• Identifier is the identifier for the pad with no designator specified, represented by the pad net and coordinates.
• Layer is the layer on which the pad with no designator specified is placed.

Recommendation for Resolution

Specify designator values for the pads of the linked footprint model.

• In the Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode, click the  control at the top-right of footprint's preview to open the footprint that is currently being used (referenced) by the component in the temporary PCB Footprint editor.
• In the Component Editor in its Batch Component Editing mode, right-click on the footprint entry in the Model Links region and choose the Edit command from the context menu.

The footprint model that is currently being used (referenced) by the component will open in the temporary PCB Footprint editor. Select an offending pad and specify the value of its Designator property in the Pad mode of the Properties panel.

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a footprint model linked to a component being defined in the Component Editor has its reference point (origin) outside of the bounding rectangle formed by footprint objects.

Notification

A notification is displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Offset Component Origin

Recommendation for Resolution

Change the location of the reference point for it is inside the bounding rectangle formed by footprint objects.

• In the Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode, click the  control at the top-right of footprint's preview to open the footprint that is currently being used (referenced) by the component in the temporary PCB Footprint editor.
• In the Component Editor in its Batch Component Editing mode, right-click on the footprint entry in the Model Links region and choose the Edit command from the context menu.

The footprint model that is currently being used (referenced) by the component will open in the temporary PCB Footprint editor. Use the commands of the Edit » Set Reference sub-menu of the main menus to change the current location of the footprint's reference.

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a footprint model linked to a component being defined in the Component Editor has Pad objects which are connected with each other by objects on a copper layer.

Notification

A notification is displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Shorted Copper Connection Between Pad <Identifier1> on <Layer1> And Pad <Identifier2> on <Layer2>

where:

• Identifier1 is the identifier for the first instance of the pad in the shorted pad pair, represented by the net-designator pairing and pad coordinates.
• Layer1 is the layer on which the first instance of the pad in the shorted pad pair is placed.
• Identifier2 is the identifier for the second instance of the pad in the shorted pad pair, represented by the net-designator pairing and pad coordinates.
• Layer2 is the layer on which the second instance of the pad in the shorted pad pair is placed.

Recommendation for Resolution

Remove the copper layer objects which connect the pads of the linked footprint model.

• In the Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode, click the  control at the top-right of footprint's preview.
• In the Component Editor in its Batch Component Editing mode, right-click on the footprint entry in the Model Links region and choose the Edit command from the context menu.

The footprint model that is currently being used (referenced) by the component will open in the temporary PCB Footprint editor. Select the copper layer objects which connect the pads then change them so they do not connect the pads, or remove these objects.

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a footprint model linked to a component being defined in the Component Editor has objects on a copper layer, and these objects are not connected to any Pad objects. When such a footprint will be placed in a PCB design, a net will not be assigned to these copper layer objects, and they will become dead copper.

Notification

A notification is displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Unconnected Copper on primitive : <ObjectType> <Identifier> on <Layer>

where:

• ObjectType is the type of instance of the object that is not connected to any Pad object in the footprint model.
• Identifier is the identifier for the object that is not connected to any Pad object in the footprint model; the identifier representation depends on the object type.
• Layer is the layer on which the instance of the object that is not connected to any Pad object in the footprint model is placed.

Recommendation for Resolution

Change the footprint model so the objects which are not currently connected to any Pad object in the footprint model are connected to pads.

• In the Component Editor in its Single Component Editing mode, click the  control at the top-right of footprint's preview.
• In the Component Editor in its Batch Component Editing mode, right-click on the footprint entry in the Model Links region and choose the Edit command from the context menu.

The footprint model that is currently being used (referenced) by the component will open in the temporary PCB Footprint editor. Place objects on copper layer(s) to form a connection between footprint pads and objects which are not currently connected to any Pad object, or remove these unconnected objects.